Anti-government protests in Egypt continued for a fifth day Wednesday in-and around the iconic Tahrir Square in Cairo, despite concessions announced by the head of the ruling military council designed to ease discontent.

On Tuesday, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, pledged to speed the transition to civilian rule with presidential elections before July 2012.

But protesters were pressing their demand for the country's military rulers to step down immediately. At least 35 people have been killed during the past five days in clashes between security forces and protesters in Cairo and other main cities.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Wednesday urged Egyptian authorities to end what she called "clearly excessive force against protesters" called images of the brutal beatings of subdued protesters "deeply shocking."

An injured protester receives treatment during clashes with riot police along a road leading to the Interior Ministry, near Tahrir Square in Cairo, November 23, 2011

Meanwhile, Egyptian authorities said Wednesday three American students arrested during protests in Cairo earlier this week are being questioned by local police in the presence of a lawyer and a U.S. embassy official.

Egyptian media report that the three, all students at American University in Cairo, were detained along with other protesters while throwing petrol bombs at police.

No formal charges have been brought against the students, who insisted they did nothing wrong.

Parliamentary elections are set to begin on Monday and Tantawi pledged the polls would go forward as planned. But many opposition leaders believe that to be increasingly doubtful.

In another apparent concession to demonstrators, the military council earlier issued a law that bans anyone convicted of corruption from running for office or holding a government position. The move could restrict members of ex-president Hosni Mubarak's former ruling party from competing in the upcoming elections.

Amnesty International on Tuesday accused Egypt's rulers of brutality sometimes exceeding that of Mr. Mubarak.

At this year's annual South by Southwest film and music festival in Austin, Texas, some musicians from Mali were on hand to promote a film about how their lives were upturned by jihadists who destroyed ancient treasures in the city of Timbuktu and prohibited anyone from playing music under threat of death. As VOA’s Greg Flakus reports from Austin, some are afraid to return to their hometowns even though the jihadists are no longer in control there.

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At this year's annual South by Southwest film and music festival in Austin, Texas, some musicians from Mali were on hand to promote a film about how their lives were upturned by jihadists who destroyed ancient treasures in the city of Timbuktu and prohibited anyone from playing music under threat of death. As VOA’s Greg Flakus reports from Austin, some are afraid to return to their hometowns even though the jihadists are no longer in control there.

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American warplanes joined Iraq's battle against the so-called 'Islamic State' in northern Iraq late Wednesday, as Iraqi ground troops launched a massive assault on Tikrit. Analysts say the offensive could take the coalition a step further towards Mosul, the largest city held by Islamic State forces. Others say it could also deepen already-dangerous sectarian tensions in the region. VOA's Heather Murdock has more from Cairo.

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Tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry in the Philippines. Close to five million foreign visitors traveled there last year, perhaps lured by the country’s tropical beaches. But Jason Strother reports from Manila that the country hopes to entice more travelers to stay indoors and spend money inside new casinos.

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Beatrice Yardolo was to make history as Liberia’s last Ebola patient. Liberians recently started counting down 42 days, the period that has to go by without a single new infection until the World Health Organization can declare a country Ebola-free. That countdown stopped on March 20 when there was another new case of Ebola, making Yardolo’s story a reminder that Ebola is far from over. Benno Muchler reports from Monrovia.

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Indigenous communities in Cambodia's Ratanakiri province say the government’s economic land concession policy is taking away their land and traditional way of life, making many fear that their identity will soon be lost. Local authorities, though, have denied this is the case. VOA's Say Mony went to investigate and filed this report, narrated by Colin Lovett.

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One of the films that drew big crowds last week at the annual South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, tells the story of the last human being to stand on the moon, U.S. astronaut Eugene Cernan. It has been 42 years since Cernan returned from the moon and he laments that no one else has gone there since. VOA’s Greg Flakus reports.